1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of assembling structural members together into a building frame and more particularly a frame wherein elongated frame members are joined together at their ends by means of connecting keys having two legs extending at a predetermined angle to one another and fixed to the frame members to hold the latter according to this predetermined angle, the legs being solid with one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
In present practice where the angle between the connected structural members is a right angle or even less standard sizes like 45.degree. and 60.degree., the solid connector key presents no problem and a limited number only of connecting keys need be stocked. However, in certain types of building structures such as greenhouses or solariums, wall panels very often meet at angles other than the conventional angles mentioned above and it is necessary, in such cases, to fabricate connecting keys that fit particular situations. This is of course a time consuming, thus costly, procedure apart from the fact that a larger inventory of such parts has to be kept.
Such connecting keys are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,817,162 of 1931; 3,848,390 of 1974; 3,866,380 of 1975; 4,251,166 of 1981. It is seen, from these patents, that the connecting keys therein all involve a pair of legs that are integral with one another and thus serve for only one angular connection. They do not consequently provide any flexibility where frame members are to be joined together at other angles.